Method of conducting a card game

ABSTRACT

A card game includes each player making a game wager and an optional hand wager. An initial hand is dealt to each player and a dealer. Game wagers are immediately resolved for players having an automatic winning hand. Remaining players form final player hands. A final dealer hand is also formed. A hand value is calculated for the final dealer hand and each final player based on the sum modulo ten of the values of the cards. The hand values are compared and game wagers resolved. Hand wagers are resolved by comparing player hands to a pay table. For player hands that form a portion of a hand listed on the pay table, an additional card or card may be dealt that will not affect the hand score but is used in resolving the hand wager.

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

The present application claims the priority of U.S. ProvisionalApplication Ser. No. 60/876,852, entitled “Method of Conducting a CardGame,” filed Dec. 21, 2006 by Applicants herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to wagering games. More particularly, thepresent invention is a card game in which a player hand competes againsta dealer hand to form a hand closer to a target value.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many wagering games in which the object of the game is toreach a target value. For example, one well known game incorporating atarget value is Blackjack. In Blackjack, each player places a wager. Adealer deals two cards to each player and to himself. The dealer's cardsare dealt with one card face up and the other face down. All playersreceiving a natural twenty-one or Blackjack, i.e. a total of twenty-onein the initial dealt hand, are immediately rewarded and their cardscollected. Typically, Blackjacks are rewarded at greater than evenmoney, such as 2:1 or 3:2.

Each remaining player may opt to hit, i.e. receive one or moreadditional cards, or stand, i.e. stand on the player's current hand,with the object being to obtain a hand total closer to twenty-one thanthe dealer's hand total. If the player hits and receives a card thatcauses his hand total to exceed twenty-one, the player busts and theplayer's wager is immediately collected and play is terminated as tothat player.

A player may also have additional options available depending on theinitial hand dealt. If the player receives a pair, i.e. two cards havingthe same face value, the player may double his wager and split the pair,using each card of the pair as a base for a separate hand. For example,if a player were to be dealt a pair of eights, the player may split thepair by doubling his wager and playing with two hands each having aneight and an additional dealt card.

A player may also have the option to double down. Although theavailability of the double down option varies from casino to casino,doubling down allows a player to double the player's wager in exchangefor a single additional card. Frequently, the double down option is onlyavailable to players having an initial hand total of ten or eleven.

After all the players have formed a final hand or busted, the dealerreveals the dealer's hand and forms a final dealer hand by hitting orstanding as the house rules dictate. House rules typically require thedealer to hit on any hand total less than or equal to sixteen. Thedealer resolves wagers by rewarding, typically at even money, allplayers with a final hand total closer to twenty-one than the dealer'sfinal hand total. Conversely, wagers are collected from players with afinal hand total further from twenty-one than the dealer's final handtotal. If the dealer busts, i.e. has a final hand total exceedingtwenty-one, all players who did not bust or receive a Blackjack arerewarded, again, typically at even money. If the player and dealer push,i.e. have the same final hand total, the player's wager is returned.

Another target value game is Baccarat. Baccarat is a live table gamethat uses a standard deck of fifty-two playing cards. The object ofBaccarat is for a player to successfully wager on which of two hands,designated the Bank hand and the Player hand, is going to win. Theplayer is paid even money for the wager if he or she wagers on thewinning hand and loses the wager if he or she selects the losing hand.

Play of Baccarat is commenced after all wagers are made by dealing twocards to the Bank position and two cards are dealt from the shoe to thePlayer position on the table layout. The cards are turned face up andthe values of the Bank hand and the Player hand is determined by summingthe face values of the cards in each hand. If the sum of the cards areadded together, the total of the hand exceeds nine, then the hand valueis calculated modulo ten. In other words, all hand values range from alow of zero to a high of nine. For example, a seven and a eight totalfifteen, but the hand value is five. An Ace and a nine total ten, butthe hand value is zero. Whichever of the Bank hand or the Player hand isclosest to a total of nine is the winner.

Depending on the point total of the initial Player hand and the initialBank hand, one more card may be dealt to either the Player hand, theBank hand or both. The rules for determining whether a third card isdealt are fixed; that is, there is no discretion for either the Playerhand or the Bank hand on whether a third card is dealt.

Rule #1: If the initial two card Player hand has a point total of 0, 1,2, 3, 4 or 5, the Player hand draws a third card. If the initial twocard Player hand has a point total of 6 or 7, the Player hand stands anddoes not receive a third card.

Rule #2: If the Player hand stands and does not draw a third card, thenthe Bank hand follows Rule #1. In other words, if the Player hand has apoint total of 6 or 7, the Bank hand draws a third card on a point totalof 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and the Bank hand stands on a point total of 6 or7.

Rule #3: If the Player hand draws a third card, the Bank hand must drawor stand as follows:

Bank hand Bank hand Bank hand two DRAWS when the STANDS when the cardpoint total: Player's hand third card is: Player's hand third card is:0, 1, or 2 Bank always draws 3 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 9 8 4 2, 3, 4,5, 6 or 7 0, 1, 8 or 9 5 4, 5, 6 or 7 0, 1, 2, 3, 8 or 9 6 6 or 7 0, 1,2, 3, 4, 5, 8 or 9 7 Bank always stands

At the end of each hand, winning wagers are paid and losing wagers arecollected by the house. Any commission due to the house is marked incommission boxes in the center of the table.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A card game is conducted for at least one player and a dealer usingplaying cards. In an optional embodiment, the dealer may be aplayer-banker. Each player places a game wager. In an optionalembodiment, the player may also place a hand wager.

Each player is dealt an initial player hand of playing cards.Optionally, each initial player hand consists of two playing cards. Aninitial dealer hand of playing cards is dealt. Optionally, the initialdealer hand consists of two playing cards. In one such optionalembodiment, the initial dealer hand is dealt with one of the playingcards exposed.

Each player forms a final player hand by standing on the initial playerhand or receiving a predetermined quantity of additional cards. In onesuch optional embodiment, the player forms a final player hand by eitherstanding on the initial player hand or receiving exactly one additionalcard. In one optional embodiment, one or more automatic winning handsmay be defined. In such an optional embodiment, a player having anautomatic winning hand would avoid any losing outcome in that the playermay, at worst, tie if the initial dealer hand also forms an automaticwinning hand, and may win if the initial dealer hand has anything otherthan an automatic winning hand.

A final dealer hand is formed by either standing on the initial dealerhand or receiving a predetermined quantity of additional cards. In onesuch optional embodiment, the predetermined quantity is exactly onecard. Optionally, the final dealer hand is formed according topredetermined house rules identifying when the dealer hand must standand when the dealer hand must receive the predetermined quantity ofadditional cards. For example, in an optional embodiment, the cards ofthe initial dealer hand are summed, and a determination whether to standor receive a predetermined quantity of additional cards is based on thatsum.

A hand value is determined for the final dealer hand and each finalplayer hand. In an optional embodiment, the hand value is the sum,modulo ten, of the values of the playing cards in the final hand. In onesuch optional embodiment, the value of the playing cards two throughnine is its face value, the value of Aces is one, and the value of theten and face cards is zero.

Each player's game wager is resolved by comparing the hand value of thatplayer's final player hand to the hand value of the final dealer hand.If a player's hand value is closer to a target sum than the dealer'shand value, the player is rewarded based on his or her game wager. Ifthe dealer's hand value is closer to a target sum than a player's handvalue, the player's game wager is collected, i.e. the player loses hisor her game wager. If the dealer's hand value and player's hand valuetie, a tie resolution may take place, with ties being resolved as a push(e.g. the player's game wager is returned), as a player win, or as adealer win, depending on the particular embodiment.

As noted above, in an optional embodiment, a hand wager may be offered.In one such optional embodiment, the hand wager is resolved by comparingthe initial player hand to a pay table of one or more hand combinationsand associated pay outs. For example, in one optional embodiment, thepay table includes hand combinations forming an automatic winning hand,with different pay outs for the combination of playing cards forming theautomatic winning hand.

In a further optional embodiment, the pay table may include handcombinations based on hand combinations based on the receipt of apredetermined quantity of additional playing cards. For example in onesuch optional embodiment, a player with an automatic winning hand thatis rewarded based on his or her hand wager may be dealt a predeterminedquantity of additional playing cards strictly for the purpose ofdetermining whether the automatic winning hand plus the predeterminedquantity of additional playing cards forms a hand combination listed onthe pay table. Optionally, each player placing a hand wager of apredetermined size qualifies for an envy payout if any player obtainscertain hand combinations listed on the pay table.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to the figures wherein like parts are referred toby like numerals throughout. Referring generally to FIGS. 1 and 2, thepresent invention includes a method for conducting a card game. Thismethod could be conducted in many formats, including at a table usinggaming chips and physical playing cards or electronic representations ofplaying cards displayed on a display, or at a gaming device (not shown)using gaming credits and computer generated playing cards. A gamingdevice embodiment could be conducted at any type of platform, includingon a cellular telephone, video gaming machine, electronic gaming table,personal computer, kiosk, handheld device, such as a PDA or networkedwireless gaming device, or any other type of standalone or networkedplatform.

A method according to the present invention uses playing cards, orelectronic representations thereof. While the examples given below useconventional playing cards, i.e. cards having a rank denoted by thenumbers two through ten, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace, and a suit denotedby hearts, diamonds, clubs, or spades, it is contemplated that thepresent invention could also be conducted using cards other thanconventional playing cards.

A method according to the present invention could be conducted with aset of playing cards having any constitution. For example, the presentmethod could be conducted using a conventional poker deck of fifty-twoplaying cards or multiple poker decks. In alternate optionalembodiments, the deck could have a different constitution from aconventional poker deck by either supplementing or truncating the deck.For example, the present method could be conducted with a deck ofplaying cards supplemented with one or more Joker playing cards, or witha deck of playing cards truncated to form a Spanish deck. Thus, whilethe examples given below discuss the use of six conventional poker decksin conducting a method according to the present invention, theseexamples should be considered illustrative and rather than limiting.

A method according to the present invention is conducted between one ormore players and a dealer. By “dealer,” it is contemplated that in ahouse-banked embodiment, a house-dealer deals the playing cards and actson behalf of the house to conduct a dealer hand (discussed in greaterdetail below). However, it is contemplated that the task of dealingplaying cards could be separated from the task of conducting the dealerhand. Similarly, it is contemplated that in a cardroom embodiment of thepresent invention, a player-banker may be tasked with paying winningwagers, collecting losing wagers, and conducting the dealer hand. In anoptional embodiment utilizing such a player-banker, it is contemplatedthat the player-banker may be responsible for dealing playing cards or adealer may perform that task. In an optional embodiment using aplayer-banker, the player-banker may be selected in any manner,including on a fixed basis, on a rotating basis, or any other basis.

Referring to FIG. 1, each player places 100 a game wager and is dealt102 an initial player hand. While the initial player hand could consistof any quantity of playing cards dealt in any manner, in an optionalembodiment, each initial player hand consists of two playing cards dealtexposed.

In an optional embodiment, if the player holds 106 a predeterminedautomatic winning hand in the initial player hand, the player's gamewager may be immediately resolved by rewarding 124 the player on his orher game wager, unless, in an optional embodiment, the initial dealerhand also has 108 what would be an automatic winning hand. In such anoptional embodiment, if both the initial player hand and the initialdealer hand hold an automatic winning hand, the game wager may bereturned 120, i.e. neither rewarded nor collected. It should be notedthat with respect to players not holding an automatic winning hand, aninitial dealer hand comprising 108 an automatic winning hand couldoutrank all other player hands with all players losing 118 their gamewagers. Alternatively, an initial dealer hand comprising what would bean automatic winning hand could be treated as an ordinary hand with ahand value computed as described below and compared to the player handsthat were not automatic winning hands for resolution of those players'game wagers.

The automatic winning hand could take any form. That is, an automaticwinning hand could be defined by a combination of playing cards, aninitial hand with a predetermined hand value (as described in greaterdetail below), or in any other fashion. For example, in a game in whichthe hand value is determined by summing the values of the playing cardsin a hand, the automatic winning hand may be defined by the combinationof cards in the hand rather than the hand value of the hand. Thus, inone such example, the automatic winning hand could be a pair of nines,even where the target value is nine and the pair of nines would, infact, have a hand value (calculated by the sum modulo ten of the valuesof the playing cards) of eight. Play by a player with an automaticwinning hand could end at this point or, as discussed in greater detailbelow, where a player places a hand wager in addition to a game wager,play may continue for resolution of the hand wager.

An initial dealer hand, or a portion of an initial dealer hand, is dealt104. As with the initial player hand, the initial dealer hand couldconsist of any quantity of playing cards and could be dealt in anymanner. In an optional embodiment, the initial dealer hand consists oftwo playing cards, with one playing card dealt exposed and one playingcard dealt unexposed. In an alternate optional embodiment, one exposedplaying card is dealt to the initial dealer hand, with a second playingcard to be dealt to the initial dealer hand at a later time. In otherwords, in such an optional embodiment, rather than dealing an unexposedplaying card to the initial dealer hand, one card of the initial dealerhand remains undealt until after each player forms a final player hand.

Each final player hand is formed 110 by either standing on the initialplayer hand or receiving a predetermined quantity of additional playingcards. In one optional embodiment, the initial player hand contains twoplaying cards and the predetermined quantity is exactly one. Thus, insuch an optional embodiment, the player has the option of eitherstanding on the initial player hand to form a final player hand of twoplaying cards, or receiving exactly one additional playing card into theinitial player hand to form a final player hand of three playing cards.In an optional embodiment, the player may be restricted from receivingany additional playing cards to the player's initial player hand basedon the hand score of the player's initial player hand. For example, inan optional embodiment in which the initial player hand contains twoplaying cards, and the target value is nine based on the sum, moduloten, of the values of the cards in the initial player hand, the playermay be allowed to draw one additional card if the hand sum of theinitial player hand is less than seven, but restricted from receivingany additional cards (i.e. required to stand in the initial player hand)if the hand sum is seven or greater. It is contemplated that theseranges are merely illustrative and may vary depending on the particularembodiment. As discussed elsewhere, however, this rule may be modifiedif the initial player hand includes an automatic winning hand but theplayer wishes to draw one additional card to resolve the player's handwager, since the player's game wager would already have been resolvedbased on the automatic winning hand.

A final dealer hand is formed 112 by either standing on the initialdealer hand or receiving a predetermined quantity of additional playingcards. As with the player hand, in one optional embodiment, thepredetermined quantity of additional playing cards received into thedealer hand is exactly one playing card. Thus, in such an optionalembodiment, the dealer would either stand on the initial dealer hand toform a final dealer hand of two playing cards, or receive exactly oneadditional playing card into the initial dealer hand to form a finaldealer hand of three playing cards.

In an optional embodiment, the formation of the final dealer hand isguided by house rules that direct when to stand and when to receive theadditional playing card or cards. For example, in one optionalembodiment, the house rules may depend on the sum modulo ten of theplaying cards of the initial dealer hand. That is, in an optionalembodiment, the playing cards of the initial dealer hand are summedmodulo ten, i.e. only the ones digit is used if the sum of the values ofthe playing cards exceeds ten, and the conduct of the initial dealerhand is based on that calculation.

For example, in one optional embodiment, the values of the playing cardsare the face values of the playing cards two through nine; one for theAce playing card; and zero for the playing cards ten, Jack, Queen, andKing. In one such optional embodiment, the final dealer hand may beformed by standing on the initial dealer hand when the sum modulo ten ofthe playing cards in the initial dealer hand is within a firstpredetermined range, such as five through nine, six through nine, or anyother range. Continuing with the example, the final dealer hand may beformed by receiving the additional playing card or cards when the summodulo ten of the playing cards of the initial dealer hand is within asecond predetermined range, such as zero through four, zero throughfive, or any other range.

A hand value is calculated 114 for the final dealer hand and each finalplayer hand. In an optional embodiment, the hand value is the sum moduloten of the values of the playing cards in the final hand. In an optionalembodiment, the values of the playing cards are the face values of theplaying cards two through nine; one for the Ace playing card; and zerofor the playing cards ten, Jack, Queen, and King. As discussed above,modulo ten arithmetic applied to a sum means that if the sum exceedsten, the tens digit is disregarded and only the ones digit is used. Forexample, using the values discussed previously, the sum modulo ten of 4

and 8

would be two. Similarly, the sum modulo ten of 6

, A⋄, and K

would be seven.

The hand value of the final dealer hand is compared to the hand valuefor each final player hand and the hand with a hand value closer to atarget value is the winning hand. That is, the object of the game forthe player is to obtain a hand value in the final player hand that iscloser to a target value than the hand value of the final dealer handis. The target value could be any number. In an optional embodimentusing modular ten arithmetic, the possible hand values range from zeroto nine. In one such optional embodiment, the target value is nine.

If the player has a winning hand, i.e. if the hand value of the finalplayer hand is closer to the target value than the hand value of thefinal dealer hand is, the player is rewarded 124 on his or her gamewager. The nature of the reward may be fixed, e.g. even money, or mayvary depending on one or more factors involving, for example, the marginbetween the player hand value and the target value, the margin betweenthe player hand value and the dealer hand value, or the like. In theexample discussed in greater detail below, the reward is fixed at evenmoney.

In an optional embodiment, a commission may be charged on rewards. Thesize of the commission may vary depending on the embodiment. In theexample discussed in greater detail below, the house retains acommission of 5% on winning game wagers. For example, a winning playerwith a game wager of 100 credits may be rewarded at even money, e.g. 100credits, with a deduction of 5 credits (5% of 100 credits) for acommission. In another optional embodiment, the commission may beprepaid at predetermined wager levels, in that the game wager amount maytake into account the commission if the player wins. For example, aplayer wagering 105 credits may be rewarded with 100 credits, whichresults in a commission of approximately 4.76%. In an optionalembodiment, a commission may be waived under certain predeterminedcircumstances, such as play during certain times of the day or days ofthe week, placement of a certain size game wager or, as discussed ingreater detail below, hand wager, or the like. Additionally oralternatively, the commission may be waived randomly or on theoccurrence of certain game events.

If the dealer has a winning hand, i.e. if the hand value of the finaldealer hand is closer 116 to the target value than the hand value of thefinal player hand is, the player's game wager is collected 118. If thehand value of the final player hand equals the hand value of the finaldealer hand, a tie occurs 122. A tie could be handled in many differentways. In one optional embodiment, a tie is resolved as a push in whichthe player's game wager is returned 120 without being rewarded. In otheroptional embodiments, a tie may be resolved in favor of the dealer, i.e.the player may lose the game wager, or resolved in favor of the player,i.e. the player may be rewarded on the game wager.

Describing an example hand, a player could be dealt an initial playerhand of A

4⋄ and the dealer is dealt an initial dealer hand with an exposed 5

. This gives an initial player hand value of five, so the player mayelect to stand on the initial two playing cards, or may elect to receiveone additional playing card. For this example, the player chooses toreceive one additional playing card and receives a Q

. Since Queens have a value of zero, the player has a final player handvalue of five. The dealer exposes or deals the second card of theinitial dealer hand and reveals an initial dealer hand of 5

7

. This gives an initial dealer hand value of two. In an optionalembodiment, the dealer's conduct of the dealer hand is dictated by houserules. As noted above, these house rules could include a rule where thedealer must take an additional playing card if the hand value of theinitial dealer hand is less than five or six, depending on theparticular embodiment. In this example, a hand value of two wouldrequire the dealer to take an additional playing card under a gameplayed according either set of house rules, so the dealer in thisexample takes another playing card. If the dealer receives, for example,a 6

, the hand value of the final dealer hand is eight. The dealer hand insuch an example would be the winning hand since a dealer hand value ofeight is closer to the target value of nine than the player hand valueof five is. The player's game wager is collected when the dealer hand isthe winning hand. Conversely, if the dealer receives, for example, a10⋄, the hand value of the final dealer hand is two and the player handis the winning hand. The player of such an example is rewarded,optionally at even money less a commission.

In an optional embodiment, a method according to the present inventionmay further include a hand wager. In one such optional embodiment,illustrated in FIG. 2, the player may optionally place 200 a hand wager.Optionally, the hand wager is separate and in addition to a game wager.The limits of the hand wager may be separate from the game wager amountor may depend on the game wager amount. The initial player hand is dealt202 and the hand wager is resolved by comparing 204 the player hand to apay table of player hands and associated pay outs. In an optionalembodiment, the pay table may include both initial player hands andfinal player hands, so that an initial hand may appear on the pay tableor may merely form a part of a hand on the pay table 208. In an optionalembodiment, the pay table may specify the value and suit of the playingcards even where suit is otherwise not used in determining a hand value.For example, in one optional embodiment, a pay table could include theplayer hands and associated pay outs shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Pay Out Initial Player Hand 2 Suited Nines 50 to 1 2 Nines (SameColor, Mixed Suits) 20 to 1 2 Nines (Mixed Colors and Suits) 10 to 1Natural Nine  2 to 1 Three-Card Final Player Hand 3 Suited Nines 1000 to1  3 Nines (Same Color, Mixed Suits) 500 to 1  3 Nines (Mixed Colors andSuits) 100 to 1  3 Card Nine  1 to 1As may be appreciated, the player hands listed, the pay outs listed, orboth, may differ in various embodiments of the present invention. Forexample, in another optional embodiment, a pay table could include thehand combinations and associated pay outs shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Hand Combination Pay Out 3 Suited Nines 2500 to 1  3 Nines (SameColor, Mixed Suits) 500 to 1  3 Nines (Mixed Colors and Suits) 125 to 1 2 Suited Nines 50 to 1 2 Nines (Same Color, Mixed Suits) 40 to 1 2 Nines(Mixed Colors and Suits) 30 to 1 3 Card Nine 10 to 1

If the player has a player hand that appears 206 on the pay table and,thus, is eligible for a hand wager pay out, the player is rewarded 214on his or her hand wager. If the player does not hold a player handeligible for a hand wager reward, the player's hand wager is collected218.

In an optional embodiment, a player having an initial player hand thatforms 205 a part of a player hand eligible for a hand wager reward maybe dealt 210 the additional playing card or cards, depending on theembodiment, for resolution of the hand wager. This additional card maybe dealt at the player's option, i.e. the player may decline to receivean additional card to try to improve his or her holding for resolutionof the hand wager if, for example, the player believes the additionalcard will not improve his or her holding for resolution of the gamewager. Alternatively, the additional card may be dealt automatically forall initial player hands or certain predefined eligible initial playerhands, as described in greater detail below. If the player does notreceive an additional card or cards that improve the player's pay outaccording to the pay table of player hands, the player is rewarded 214on the hand wager based on the initial player hand. Conversely, if thenew player hand, that is the initial player hand plus the additionalplaying card or cards, depending on the embodiment, appears 212 on thepay table, the player is rewarded 216 on the hand wager based on theinitial player hand plus the additional playing card. In other words, ifthe player receives a card that improves the player's pay out accordingto the pay table of player hands, the player is rewarded on the handwager based on the player hand including the additional card or cards.

As alluded to above, in an optional embodiment, a player obtaining aparticular initial player hand, such as a predetermined automaticwinning hand, may have his or her game wager immediately resolved eitherby rewarding the player or returning the player's game wager if theinitial dealer hand also held an automatic winning hand. In one suchoptional embodiment, a player having an initial player hand that formedan automatic winning hand and formed 208 a part of a player handeligible for a hand wager reward, may be dealt the additional card orcards, depending on the embodiment, solely for resolution of the handwager, even though the player's game wager has already been resolved. Insuch an optional embodiment, the additional playing card or cards wouldnot alter the player hand value since the game wager would have alreadybeen resolved.

Thus, in an example based on Table 2 above and an embodiment where apair of nines is an automatic winning hand, if a player is dealt 9

9

, the player's game wager is rewarded unless the dealer also has a pairof nines, in which case the player's game wager is returned. Althoughthe player's game wager has been resolved, the player may, in thisoptional embodiment, be dealt a third card to determine the player'sreward for any hand wager, as well as resolve any envy pay outsdiscussed in greater detail below. If the player receives, for example,a 9

as the third card, the player would be rewarded at 500:1 on any handwager for obtaining three nine playing cards from a black suit.Additionally, an envy pay out may occur as described below. Conversely,if the player receives, for example, J

as the third card, the player would be rewarded at 40:1 on any handwager for receiving two nines in a black suit in the initial playerhand. In an optional embodiment in which the player hands eligible for ahand wager reward are not necessarily automatic winning hands, a playermay receive a third card for resolution of the hand wager that does nototherwise contribute to the player's hand value for resolution of thegame wager.

In another optional embodiment, an additional card is dealt to everyinitial player hand. For those players requesting an additional card oradditional cards, depending on the particular embodiment, the additionalcard(s) contributes to the player's hand value for resolution of theplayer's game wager and for resolution of the player's hand wager, ifany. For those players who did not request an additional card oradditional cards, depending on the particular embodiment, the additionalcard(s) are not used to determine the player's hand vale, and are usedsolely for resolution of the player's hand wager. As may be appreciated,this step may be limited to certain predetermined hands in an alternateoptional embodiment.

In a further optional embodiment, an envy pay out may be offered forcertain game events. For example, in one optional embodiment, eachplayer placing a hand wager of at least a predetermined minimum amountis eligible for an envy pay out. In one such optional embodiment, if anyfinal player hand includes a predetermined combination, such as triplenines, e.g. three playing cards each of nine rank, each eligible player(optionally excluding the player who obtained the predeterminedcombination) is paid an envy pay out. Optionally, the player whoobtained the predetermined combination is excluded from receiving theenvy pay out. The envy pay outs could take any form, including fixedamount pay outs, multiples of certain wager amounts, or any other form.For example, one optional table of predetermined combinations andassociated envy pay outs is given in Table 3 with fixed envy pay outamounts.

TABLE 3 Predetermined Hand Combination Envy Pay Out 3 Suited Nines $2503 Nines (Same Color, Mixed Suits) $100 3 Nines (Mixed Colors and Suits) $50As above, these amounts and the predetermined combinations are merelyillustrative. Thus, in other optional embodiments, the amounts and handcombinations may be altered. For example, in another optionalembodiment, a table of envy events and associated envy pay outs could beas shown in Table 4.

TABLE 4 Predetermined Han Combination Envy Pay Out 3 Suited Nines $500 3Nines (Same Color, Mixed Suits) $100 3 Nines (Mixed Colors and Suits)$50 2 Suited Nines $15 2 Nines (Same Color, Mixed Suits) $10

While certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed it is to be understood that the present invention is subjectto many modifications and changes without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention presented herein.

1. A method of conducting a game for at least one player and a dealerusing playing cards including playing cards two through ten, jack,queen, king, and ace, comprising: receiving a game wager from saidplayer; dealing an initial player hand of playing cards to each player;dealing an initial dealer hand of playing cards; each player forming afinal player hand by standing on said player's initial player hand orreceiving a predetermined quantity of additional playing cards; forminga final dealer hand by standing on said dealer's initial dealer hand orreceiving a predetermined quantity of additional playing cards;determining a hand value said final dealer hand and each said finalplayer hand by summing, modulo ten, the values of the playing cards ineach said final hand, wherein the value of a playing card two throughnine is its face value, the value of a playing card ten, jack, queen,and king is zero, and the value of an ace playing card is one; comparingthe hand value of each player's final player hand to the hand value ofthe final dealer hand and a predefined target sum; if the hand value ofa player's final player hand is closer to said target sum than is thehand value of the final dealer hand, rewarding that player based on theplayer's game wager; and if the hand value of the final dealer hand iscloser to said target sum than is the hand value of a player's finalplayer hand, collecting that player's game wager.
 2. The method of claim1 further comprising, if the hand value of the final dealer hand isequal to the hand value of a player's final player hand, returning theplayer's game wager.
 3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:determining the hand sum of each player's initial player hand; andrestricting a player from receiving any additional playing cards to theplayer's initial player hand if the hand sum of said player's initialplayer hand is a predetermined maximum.
 4. The method of claim 1 furthercomprising determining the hand sum of said initial dealer hand andwherein said step of forming said final dealer hand further comprisesreceiving a predetermined quantity of additional playing cards in saidinitial dealer hand if said hand sum of said initial dealer hand is lessthan a predetermined minimum and standing on said initial dealer hand ifsaid hand sum of said initial dealer hand is greater than, or equal to,a predetermined maximum.
 5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:defining a pay table of one or more hand combinations and associated payouts; receiving a hand wager from at least one player; for each playerplacing said hand wager, comparing the player's initial player hand andfinal player hand to said pay table; and issuing the greater pay outassociated with the hand combination, if any, formed by said player'sinitial player hand and final player hand according to said pay table.6. The method of claim 5 wherein said pay table includes at least onehand combination having a hand sum unequal to said target value.
 7. Themethod of claim 5 wherein said pay table includes at least one handcombination including a quantity of playing cards greater than thequantity of playing cards in a player initial hand.
 8. The method ofclaim 5 further comprising, if a player hand includes a predeterminedhand combination designated for an envy pay out, issuing an envy pay outto each player not holding said hand combination who placed a hand wagerof a predetermined size.
 9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:defining at least one automatic winning hand; and if a player's initialplayer hand forms an automatic winning hand, issuing a reward to saidplayer based on said game wager.
 10. The method of claim 9 furthercomprising: defining a pay table of one or more hand combinations andassociated pay outs, wherein at least one of said hand combinationsincludes one of said automatic winning hands plus at least onepredefined playing card; receiving a hand wager from at least oneplayer; for each player placing said hand wager, comparing the player'sinitial player hand to said pay table; issuing the pay out associatedwith the hand combination formed by said player's initial player hand,if any, according to said pay table; if said player's initial playerhand is an automatic winning hand, receiving at least one additionalplaying card to said player's initial player hand; and if said player'sinitial player hand plus said at least one additional playing card formsa hand combination on said pay table of an automatic winning hand plussaid at least one predefined playing card, issuing the pay outassociated with the hand combination according to said pay table.
 11. Amethod of conducting a game for at least one player and a dealer usingplaying cards including playing cards two through ten, jack, queen,king, and ace, comprising: defining a pay table of one or more handcombinations and associated pay outs; defining at least one automaticwinning hand; receiving a game wager from said player; receiving a handwager from at least one player; dealing an initial player hand ofplaying cards to each player; dealing an initial dealer hand of playingcards; if a player's initial player hand forms an automatic winninghand, issuing a reward to said player based on said game wager andterminating participation by said player except for resolution of saidplayer's hand wager, if any; each player forming a final player hand bystanding on said player's initial player hand or receiving apredetermined quantity of additional playing cards; forming a finaldealer hand by standing on said dealer's initial dealer hand orreceiving a predetermined quantity of additional playing cards;determining a hand value said final dealer hand and each said finalplayer hand by summing, modulo ten, the values of the playing cards ineach said final hand, wherein the value of a playing card two throughnine is its face value, the value of a playing card ten, jack, queen,and king is zero, and the value of an ace playing card is one; comparingthe hand value of each player's final player hand to the hand value ofthe final dealer hand and a predefined target sum; if the hand value ofa player's final player hand is closer to said target sum than is thehand value of the final dealer hand, rewarding that player based on theplayer's game wager; if the hand value of the final dealer hand iscloser to said target sum than is the hand value of a player's finalplayer hand, collecting that player's game wager; and for each playerplacing said hand wager, resolving said player's hand wager comprising:comparing the player's initial player hand and final player hand to saidpay table; and issuing the greater pay out associated with the handcombination, if any, formed by said player's initial player hand andfinal player hand according to said pay table.
 12. The method of claim11 further comprising, if the hand value of the final dealer hand isequal to the hand value of a player's final player hand, returning theplayer's game wager.
 13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:determining the hand sum of each player's initial player hand; andrestricting a player from receiving any additional playing cards to theplayer's initial player hand if the hand sum of said player's initialplayer hand is a predetermined maximum.
 14. The method of claim 11further comprising determining the hand sum of said initial dealer handand wherein said step of forming said final dealer hand furthercomprises receiving a predetermined quantity of additional playing cardsin said initial dealer hand if said hand sum of said initial dealer handis less than a predetermined minimum and standing on said initial dealerhand if said hand sum of said initial dealer hand is greater than, orequal to, a predetermined maximum.
 15. The method of claim 11 whereinsaid pay table includes at least one hand combination having a hand sumunequal to said target value.
 16. The method of claim 11 wherein saidpay table includes at least one hand combination including a quantity ofplaying cards greater than the quantity of playing cards in a playerinitial hand.
 17. The method of claim 11 further comprising, if a playerhand includes a predetermined hand combination designated for an envypay out, issuing an envy pay out to each player not holding said handcombination who placed a hand wager of a predetermined size.